Personal tablet dispenser

Abstract

A tablet dispenser is disclosed having an elongate hand-held core with a plurality of cavities adapted to contain tablets. A sheath is mounted to the core for slideable movement from a position covering all the cavities to another position uncovering all the cavities. A detent mechanism is employed between the sheath and the core for interrupting the sliding movement after each of the cavities has been uncovered. For spatially orienting the tablet dispenser, and without the need to look at it, distinct physical touch indicia is fixed to the dispenser in lengthwise alignment with the tablet cavities.

I claim: 
     
       1. A personal hand-held tablet dispenser, comprising: an elongate core having an end stop at each end thereof and a plurality of tablet cavities axially aligned along one-half of said core;   a sheath enshrounding said core and being responsive to finger pressure for movement between each said end stop, said sheath having a length such that when it abuts one said end stop it covers said plurality of cavities, and when said sheath abuts the other end stop said plurality of cavities are uncovered;   detent means acting between said core and said sheath for releasably latching said sheath to said core after each cavity of said plurality of cavities has been uncovered by said sheath being moved; and   a protruding member above the general surface of the combined core and sheath elements and located in a predetermined location with respect to said plurality of cavities so that the spatial orientation of said dispenser can be readily identified by the feel of said member.   
     
     
       2. A persomal hand-held tablet dispenser adapted for dispensing tablets using one hand, comprising; an elongate core having along one side thereof a plurality of in line spaced-apart cavities each for storing a tablet and each having a peripheral area therearound, and having an end defining a part by which said dispenser can be held by one's hand;   a sheath in close-fitting contact with said peripheral surface areas and having a length shorter than said core and mounted on said core for movement by the fingers of the hand of a user from a first location covering all said plurality of cavities to successive locations whereby each said cavity is successively uncovered and said sheath does not extend beyond the end of said core; and   detent means for releasably latching said sheath to said core at each of said locations and for biasing said sheath in close-fitting contact with said peripheral surface areas, said detent means further including a plurality of spaced-apart detent holes in said sheath, a well disposed in said core on the diametric side opposite said plurality of cavities, a detent ball and resilient means housed in said well for biasing said detent ball into engagement with the plurality of detent holes in said sheath.